Python Bitwise Operators: Manipulating Binary Data in Python

Python’ bitwise operators are normally used with integer type objects. However, instead of treating the object as a whole, it is treated as a string of bits. Different operations are done on each bit in the string.

Python has six bitwise operators - &, |, ^, ~, << and >>. All these operators (except ~) are binary in nature, in the sense they operate on two operands. Each operand is a binary digit (bit) 1 or 0.

Python – Bitwise AND Operator (&)

Bitwise AND operator is somewhat similar to logical and operator. It returns True only if both the bit operands are 1 (i.e. True). All the combinations are −

When you use integers as the operands, both are converted in equivalent binary, the & operation is done on corresponding bit from each number, starting from the least significant bit and going towards most significant bit.

Let us take two integers 60 and 13, and assign them to variables a and b respectively.

It will produce the following output −

a: 60 b: 13 a&b: 12

To understand how Python performs the operation, obtain the binary equivalent of each variable.

It will produce the following output −

a: 0b111100
b: 0b1101

For the sake of convenience, use the standard 8-bit format for each number, so that "a" is 00111100 and "b" is 00001101. Let us manually perform and operation on each corresponding bits of these two numbers.

Convert the resultant binary back to integer. You’ll get 12, which was the result obtained earlier.

Python – Bitwise OR Operator (|)

The "|" symbol (called pipe) is the bitwise OR operator. If any bit operand is 1, the result is 1 otherwise it is 0.

Take the same values of a=60, b=13. The "|" operation results in 61. Obtain their binary equivalents.

It will produce the following output −

a: 60 b: 13 a|b: 61
a: 0b111100
b: 0b1101

To perform the "|" operation manually, use the 8-bit format.

Convert the binary number back to integer to tally the result −

Python – Binary XOR Operator (^)

The term XOR stands for exclusive OR. It means that the result of OR operation on two bits will be 1 if only one of the bits is 1.

Let us perform XOR operation on a=60 and b=13.

It will produce the following output −

a: 60 b: 13 a^b: 49

We now perform the bitwise XOR manually.

The int() function shows 00110001 to be 49.

Python – Binary NOT Operator (~)

This operator is the binary equivalent of logical NOT operator. It flips each bit so that 1 is replaced by 0, and 0 by 1, and returns the complement of the original number. Python uses 2’s complement method. For positive integers, it is obtained simply by reversing the bits. For negative number, -x, it is written using the bit pattern for (x-1) with all of the bits complemented (switched from 1 to 0 or 0 to 1). Hence: (for 8 bit representation)

For a=60, its complement is −

It will produce the following output −

a: 60 ~a: -61

Python – Left Shift Operator (<<)

Left shift operator shifts most significant bits to right by the number on the right side of the "<<" symbol. Hence, "x << 2" causes two bits of the binary representation of to right. Let us perform left shift on 60.

It will produce the following output −

a: 60 a<<2: 240

How does this take place? Let us use the binary equivalent of 60, and perform the left shift by 2.

Convert the binary to integer. It is 240.

Python – Right Shift Operator (>>)

Right shift operator shifts least significant bits to left by the number on the right side of the ">>" symbol. Hence, "x >> 2" causes two bits of the binary representation of to left. Let us perform right shift on 60.

It will produce the following output −

a: 60 a>>2: 15

Manual right shift operation on 60 is shown below −

Use int() function to covert the above binary number to integer. It is 15.